Overview
- President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces detained Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and removed them from Venezuela, and he said the United States will administer a temporary transition.
- Venezuela’s government condemned what it called a grave military aggression, declared a state of exception, and reported nighttime explosions, overflights, and strikes in Caracas and nearby states.
- Outlets cited videos and eyewitness accounts of blasts at sites including Fuerte Tiuna and La Carlota, plus power outages and helicopter movements, while casualty figures and key operational details remain unverified.
- International responses diverged sharply, with Russia, China, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and others condemning the action, Argentina and Ecuador voicing support, and European officials urging restraint and respect for international law.
- Maduro faces a U.S. narcoterrorism indictment in the Eastern District of New York, and media and officials discussed a potential transfer to U.S. jurisdiction, though custody location and third‑party verification of his status have not been confirmed.